Pages

Saturday

Here's a list of the resources we used while completing our US Government Lapbooks...

Books:

We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United StatesShh! We're Writing the ConstitutionMy Senator and MeYo, Millard FilmoreLives of the Presidents: Fame and ShameWhat President's are Made ofGeorge Washington (by Marian Leighton)Who Was Thomas JeffersonPresidents of the United States (Level 3 Reader)Lyndon B. Johnson: Young TexanHow the US Government WorksMaking a Law ( A True book)The Supreme Court (A True Book)

I plan on writing up all my links, books and resources in the next few days to share. Almost all of the mini books were created by me- with the exception of the President Obama and mini president coloring pages.

Saturday

The big boys have been studying the US Government for the past few weeks, and since they are making a lapbook to go along with our studies, I made Cohen his own version to go along with it.

Here's the inside with the flap closed:

On the center flap he has a constitution coloring book, a pocket holding president's names he wrote, and a person-shaped book about citizen responsibilities.

Underneath is this:

The 3 branches of government, a wheel of the Founding Fathers and a 'My favorite president..." book.

TN Government

Divisions of the Military

Money, Who Was the First President, and Our President Is...

Inside the Money book....

On the back is his Constitution

And a book on the Bill of Rights

His was a lot of cutting and gluing, handwriting practice, and listening to our discussions. A few of his books- like the Branches of Government and the Bill of Rights book were cut up from the resources I was using while reading.

The big boys should finish up their lapbooks on Monday, so I will share those then.

Tuesday

During our government study this week we have been talking about presidents, a lot. One of the books we have enjoyed is called What Presidents Are Made Of It has little blurbs about different presidents and the illustrations are made up of the facts given. Richard Nixon's head is a tape recorder and his nose is an ear. Andrew Jackson has bullets for eyes and a revolver for his mouth. Today we made our own:

Here is Rutherford B. Hayes. He was the first president to use a telephone- thus the phone cord hair and beard and the telephone mouth. His phone number was #1 (his nose) and the lemonade glass eyes represent Lemonade Lucy and the fact that alcohol was not permitted at the White House during his presidency. (by Rylan)

Here is John Quincy Adams. He placed the first billiard table in the White House and while he was president he had a pet alligator. He wore the same hat for 10 years- even though neighbors complained. He also liked to swim in the Potomac River every morning- naked. (by Cohen- and me)

And finally, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Who liked to collect stamps- and had a collection of more than 25,000. He had a collection of miniature pigs in the White House. And he smoked more than a pack of cigarettes a day. (by Cale)

Friday

Monday started with our weekly co-op classes in the morning. We only have a couple more classes this semester, but my boys have really enjoyed it this time around. We took a break for a year but I think they were ready to go back. It helped that I am one of their teachers too.

Tuesday we had our monthly Cub Scout Meeting. Rylan and Cale both recieved beads toward their current badge. I made these cupcakes....my excuse to try our new cake and frosting recipes. These were chocolate with toasted meringue frosting.

We have swimming lessons every Wednesday morning- at least until Dec. 2nd. Rylan is pretty scared of the water, neither him nor Cale can swim. But for the past 5 weeks we have gone to Maryville College for our lessons from college student taking a class for aquatic education.

We also began our unit/lapbook on the American Government. So far we've covered the founding fathers, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the branches of the government....and some other things. Today we began on the presidents. Rylan LOVES the presidents. It's the one thing he's consistently been interested in for years. We will be going through next week, then I'll share our completed unit and resources.But for now...

Here's Cohen's constitution...I love 4 yr old writing

Cale's Government tree

We also got our chickens this week. We've got one weakling, but hopefully she'll pull through.

We had our Cub Scout den meetings on Thursday afternoon. I wish I had my camera, since the Tigers were learning about the Flag, the Pledge and having a flag ceremony. One of the boy's grandfather came in with a flag pole, different flags, showed them how to stand. He was a Cubmaster for his son's packs years ago and did great with them. They looked adorable standing in uniform all in a line like that.

And today is Paul's 30th birthday. He came home a little earlier from work today and we had crabcakes and peach cobbler for dinner

Thursday

We've been expecting this delivery all week. But with the holiday yesterday, shipment was delayed. Upon waking this morning our phones were silent, and we were ready to wait another day. But at 9:00, on his way to class, Paul received a phone call from the main Post Office in Knoxville. We had a package. It arrived too late to make the truck heading to Maryville and Greenback. They could send it tomorrow, or we could come and get it.

Since Paul couldn't skip class, we did. We dropped our math books and mini-books and left. For a 45 minute drive to Knoxville. And as we walked to the counter, we heard them.

26 cheeping chicks in a box can be awfully loud.

26 cheeping chicks in a box were very loud on the 45 min drive home from Knoxville.

They quieted down a bit once those 26 cheeping chicks got their first drink of water, ate a little and stretched out under the heating lamp.

So for the next 4 or so weeks our playroom will be a mini-petting zoo. With these 26 girls, the 2 rabbits, crabs and the random cat or dog. Not to mention the 4 boys who want to hold them....but that is good...hand-tamed chickens are the best kind. One you don't have to chase down and will let you tote them around like a doll.

Step 1: In what month were you born? Write the number that stands for that month (1 for Jan, 2 for Feb...etc)Step 2: Double that numberStep 3: add 6Step 4: Multiply your new number by 50Step 5: Add the day of your birth (if you were born on June 15, add 15)Step 6: Subtract 365Step 7: Tell me your answer, and I'll tell you your birthday.(To determine the birthday add 65 to the answer above, then divide that number into a numerically written date- a slash between the tens and hundreds place) and that will be the birthday)

Example of an Oct 31 birthday:

10 x 2= 20 20 + 6= 26 26 x 50= 1300 1300 + 31= 1331 1331 - 365= 966

966 + 65= 1031 or 10/31#3

Step 1: pick a number between 1-99Step 2: multiply by 2Step 3: add 35Step 4: multiply by 5Step 5: subtract 155Step 6: multiply by 10Step 7: subtract 200Step 8: cross off the last 2 digits (tens and ones place) and you will be left with your original number